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OPM’s objective is to safeguard fair and open competition and protect against political influence in the hiring for career Federal jobs. With this in mind, the two most common reasons for OPM not to approve a proposed selection are 1) when the career job appears to have been created or tailored solely for the benefit of the current or former political appointee or, 2) when competition for the career job has been limited inappropriately.

No. For example, a person who was a political appointee in 2007 and was hired for a career Federal job in 2008 can apply for and be selected for another career Federal job and OPM will not review the selection under the revised policy.

Yes. We will not review hiring under 5 CFR 315, subpart F, and 5 CFR 337, subpart B. These regulations allow for non-competitive appointments to the Federal civil service under certain conditions (e.g. direct-hire; the appointment of 30 percent or more disabled veterans; the appointment of Peace Corps personnel and certain former overseas employees).

No. It has been OPM policy since the Carter Administration and under every President since to ensure that politics plays no role when agencies hire political appointees for career Federal jobs. In the past, OPM conducted a pre-hiring review of proposed appointments to the career competitive service during the year leading up to a Presidential election. Effective January 1, 2010, OPM’s pre-hiring oversight expanded beyond the Presidential election year to ensure that, going forward, hiring of current or former political appointees -- whenever it occurs -- is fair, open, and free from political influence.

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